Lily Collins on What's Coming in 'Emily in Paris,' Part 2, Season 5 Status

[This story contains spoilers from Emily in Paris season four, Part 1.]

Emily in Paris new season sees Lily Collins' Emily does something she's never done before: finds comfort in the uncomfortable.

In the season three finale, Camille (Camille Razat) called off her wedding to Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) because of his feelings for Emily, and Alfie broke off his marriage to Emily for the same reason. And now the fourth installment of the Emmy-nominated series CRandATandD Band DARRandN STAR — which will be released in two parts, with the first part streaming — paves the way for Emily and Gabriel to be together.

When Camille reunites with her Greek lover Sofia (Melia Kreiling) at the beginning of season four, she gives her friend and former fiancé the green light to give their relationship a chance, even though her pregnancy news complicates things for them.

Emily has proven over the years that she has a hard time with things that are outside of her comfort zone. Getting into a relationship with someone who is having a child with his soon-to-be wife definitely falls into that zone. And yet, she decided to give it a try.

“This season she feels more comfortable in that gray area,” Collins says The Hollywood Reporter. “She's open to more opportunities that the world gives her. And if this timing gives her the option to try things with Gabriel, I think she's more leaning into, why wouldn't she try it and give it a shot?”

Instead of waiting until she knew Gabriel was right for her, she decided to embrace the uncertainty. “I think it's important that she remembers that you can miss something in life if you're in the tunnel like that,” the star adds. Below, Collins also shares how she balances producing and starring in Emily in Parisher hopes for a fifth season renewal and predicts Emily's upcoming vacation in Rome.

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We finally got a glimpse of Emily and Gabriel as a real couple. Why do you think this was the right time for them to explore a relationship?

At this point, Emily is feeling more comfortable and grounded in the city, her job, and the relationships that she’s formed, whether they’re platonic or at least fully feeling the feelings in a romantic sense. Last season, we were left on the cliffhanger of Gabriel expressing his feelings to Emily, and Emily was finally able to believe him. They had this moment where it was now or never. But then of course the baby news threw a spanner in the works. But as long as Camille is okay with Emily and Gabriel trying, which, at the end of the day, Emily really respects Camille and the baby situation and just wants what’s best for her. So if this is an opportunity for her to explore feelings with Gabriel and she gets the green light, she can finally focus on that. It’s complicated, that’s for sure. Alfie is still in the picture. Once she makes the decision to try things out with Gabriel, and I’m glad she finally makes a decision, she has to deal with the fallout of that. And we see new growth in her because she’s had to make a decision. Emily has a maturity and vulnerability this year that I find new.

With Camille and the baby, we found out towards the end of Part 1 that she's not really pregnant. It's so sad. She was so excited about it. How do you think that's going to play out in Gabriel and Emily's future?

The way we interact with the characters, and the show in general, is with grace and respect. And of course, it complicates things even more with Emily and this scenario that she was playing out in her head. She thought she would figure it out, and the way she processed the pregnancy is applicable now, but at the same time, it changes her plan, because it doesn't exist. And so there are new conversations that can be had that go well, and some that don't. The way she figures it out… it's all tricky. It's all very tricky, and it just opens up new conversations.

Alfie seems to be out of the picture romantically for Emily at this point in the season. Do you think there would have been a world where Emily didn't choose Gabriel over Alfie?

Honestly, Emily is so focused on option A, option B. She sees things so black and white and she’s not comfortable being uncomfortable, which is really the gray area where you don’t have the answer to everything. And she’s literally pitching the gray area, but I do think that, metaphorically speaking, she’s more comfortable in that gray area this season. She’s open to more opportunities that the world is giving her. And if this timing gives her the option to try things with Gabriel, I think she’s leaning more on, why not give it a shot and give it a shot? And so I don’t know if it’s as much about finally making this final decision. I think she’s leaning on, if not now, then when? We don’t even know if we’re going to go to a fifth season, which we all hope for, but we don’t know what the endgame is. And I think it’s more about embracing the moment and the uncertainty, and this is the moment for that with Gabriel.

Why did you think it was so important for Emily to step out of black-and-white at this point in her life on the show?

I think you lose sight of the things that are in front of you when you're so focused on other things as the only options. Emily understands more and more as she gets more comfortable in these relationships and in the city and in her job, that she can actually feel all the feelings and face the uncertainty in a way that she couldn't before because she was trying to feel comfortable and safe and balanced in her world in Paris. But now she's doing that, and now she can actually go inward and feel those feelings. So I think it's important for her to remember that you can miss something in life when you're in the tunnel like that.

Besides starring in the show, you also produce it. How do you combine the two?

It can be tricky because I’m someone who’s always noticing everything. Sometimes, when I’m playing Emily, I’ll be in a scene, as a producer, and I’ll notice 10 things, but my brain is already focused on Emily, but I can’t help but notice things. That’s where my slight Type A takes over. But I do have to find that balance, and I think from season one to now, I’ve definitely learned more about that balance and when to wear all the hats — when to take one off, when to focus on one thing. Because at the end of the day, I’m Emily, and I have to put all my focus on being her. But I think Emily also has that mindset of seeing the bigger picture. So it’s not that different from my character to also see the bigger picture and not just focus on herself. And it helps with a character who’s also producing in her own way.

You fought to keep your masquerade ball ensemble exactly as the designer had made it, despite some complications with the size of the hat and the car and so on. How else were you involved in other aspects of the production?

It's true, yes. As soon as I read that scene, I knew Harris [Reed] had to design. I went straight to him and just said, “Look, here you go, this is perfect. Will you do it?” And when the sketches came in, I was blown away and we had the fit, and I read the scenes, and I thought, “Well, we can't take this apart too quickly. We have to see it all together. We have to see me wearing different things at different times, and even though the script says I'm getting in the cab, I can't do that with this hat, but I can't not wear this hat.” So I was very adamant that the designer's vision would be the designer's vision, knowing that it's a show, and sometimes compromises have to be made, but I was very adamant about that.

When it comes to production, all the department heads are so cooperative and open to ideas, not just from me but from the other actors, because we know ourselves really well at this point. We know the characters really well and it’s really fun to see everyone talking and hearing opinions. And it’s been really fun to be a part of the different parts of the show over the years.

Sylvie brings to life in this season a #MeToo movement that was touched upon a little bit in the previous season. Why do you think it was important to explore that?

I think it’s a great opportunity this season to really dig deeper into the other characters’ storylines and deepen them as characters. And for Sylvie, something happened in her past that she thought she had put behind her, and it comes back to affect her present, and she’s faced with a decision that she has to make. I love how the show handled that. I think it was respectful and graceful, and the character is so powerful and confident and strong, and yet this really difficult decision also showed a deep sense of emotion and vulnerability and insecurity in her that makes her even more human and makes her even more of a layered villain. She’s not the villain. She’s been through a lot, and Philippine can obviously speak to that more for her as a character, but I really appreciated the way that we were able to show different sides of a character through their experiences and how they choose to move through them.

This season in particular – so far at least – the ensemble has been explored more than in previous seasons.

Yes, I appreciate that. Thank you.

It's really interesting to see all these different characters and the dynamics and how they apply to the show itself. Why do you think that works so well with this group?

Because everyone is so amazing! I really believe that. I mean, I love our cast. I think everyone brings something really unique to each of their characters. And the longer we all work together, the more I see them express their opinions, and I champion that. I support that. I’m so happy as Emily, but really as a producer, to show storylines that don’t involve Emily. I think it’s really important to get to know them on a deeper level. And they’re just so amazing. It’s hard to be in scenes with them sometimes because we all make each other laugh. But at the same time, we all bring out different sides of our characters through each other. So I’m so happy that the show has become more of a collective story, but at the same time, a lot of other storylines that live and breathe on their own.

You did say that you haven't been renewed for season five yet. How much longer would you see yourself playing Emily?

Honestly, I love playing Emily, and I enjoy breathing new life into her every season, and she’s taught me so much in my life. I’ve had such life experiences because of this opportunity. I love our cast and crew. I’m definitely not done playing Emily. I hope we can continue. And honestly, if the show brings people joy and a sense of escapism, that’s the greatest gift, and I get so much out of that. So I’m here, and I’m going to go along for the ride, and at least for now, just excited to see if we get to do more.

What else can you reveal about what people can expect in Part 2?

A little bit more vacation mode, turn it on. Work mode, turn it off. Emily, put her phone down for a little bit of Roman Holiday, and we get to experience a little bit of Christmas and winter, which is really, really fun for this season. So, it wouldn't be Emily without more twists and more drama, but definitely a more dynamic and vulnerable season and also cinematic. I'm excited for everyone to see the second half.

Emily in Paris season four part 1 is available to stream on Netflix. Part 2 will be released on September 12th. Reading THR's interview with creator Darren Star.